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Nuggets are 'on the phones constantly'

Connelly is active ahead of deadline as injuries pile up

By Christopher Dempsey

The Denver Post

Posted:
02/09/2014 10:56:02 PM MST

Updated:
02/09/2014 10:56:05 PM MST

INDIANAPOLIS —— Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly sat on the scorer's table inside Madison Square Garden three days ago and shared some laughs with another general manager who has question marks throughout his roster — Knicks GM Steve Mills.

The separator is in the head coach. While speculation swirls in New York about the future of Knicks coach Mike Woodson, Connelly is a big fan of first-year Nuggets coach Brian Shaw.

And as the NBA trade deadline approaches, Connelly wants to do whatever he can to help the roller-coaster Nuggets get better.

Whether that means activity now — the trade deadline is Feb. 20 — or after the season, in the draft, remains to be seen.

"I want to get better," Connelly said. "We're on the phones constantly. It's not just now. We've been on the phones since we got the job. I think you don't know what opportunities are out there unless you're just constantly probing and calling your colleagues. We want to be creative and try to make a move that allows us to take the next step."

The only move the Nuggets must make is one involving Andre Miller. The veteran point guard has been kept away from the team since Jan. 1, after an incident in which he shouted at Shaw during a game. The Nuggets want to trade him but have found no takers. With starting point guard Ty Lawson sidelined because of a fractured rib, getting a playmaker in return for trading Miller carries increased importance. Without Lawson, who won't play today at Indiana, the Nuggets have no true point guard available.

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"We've had a lot of adversity with injuries, certainly," Connelly said. "I think the coaching staff has done an unbelievable job keeping the group together. We've had a lot of very good wins and a lot of disappointing losses.

"If we want to get to where we think we belong, we can't afford losses like that. But there's been more good than bad."

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